February 4th is World Cancer Day!

It seems as though the perception of cancer in the United States has changed over time. What used to immediately be thought of as a death sentence, now seems to be something maybe people approach head on with the thought that they can beat it. But that isn’t the case everywhere in the world.

World Cancer Day has been celebrated since 2005 when it was introduced by the International Union Against Cancer. Since then, each year the group has brought awareness and education around the world to those with and without cancer.

This year, the organization is working to “Debunk the Myths” of cancer by focusing on four myths they feel need to be debunked!


The first myth is, “We don’t need to talk about cancer.” The truth is: although cancer may be a difficult topic to address, particularly in some settings or cultures, dealing with the disease openly can improve outcomes at an individual, community or policy level.


Along with a cancer diagnosis comes a lot of emotion and talking with loved ones or friends may help to alleviate some of the emotions and concerns. In some settings, cancer may even be thought of as taboo, or have a stigma attached. This type of taboo may even lead some people to shy away from methods of cancer prevention or early detection.


Open lines of communication may make tackling cancer easier on the person with the cancer and the person or people taking care of him/her. This type of communication should include feelings about finances and employment, establishing some sort of routine or stability and feelings about body image. For some men and women, especially those with breast and testicular cancer, emotions can be extra sensitive when having discussions with a partner. It’s important to have those hard conversations about cancer and emotions.
The second myth is, “There are no signs or symptoms of cancer.” The truth is: for many cancers, there are warning signs and symptoms and the benefits of early detection are indisputable.


Although not all cancers have notable warning signs, many do such as breast, oral, skin, cervical, colorectal and some childhood cancers. Education is the key to early detection, especially in low resource settings.

The Michiana region has several screenings available for people who qualify in the community. For example, if you are in need of a mammogram and are unable to afford one, the Secret Sisters Society has developed a program for women, age 40-49 for a free screening. They also offer many support groups and offer other resources for prevention and healing.
RiverBend Cancer Services located at 919 Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend, offers support services, financial services, nutrition counseling and other wellness tools. They are also instrumental in cancer screening services with free PSAs for men at their Touch Base at the Cove event each summer.

For more information about types of cancer screening, visit the National Cancer Institute website for recommendations.

The third myth is, “There is nothing I can do about cancer.” The truth is: there is a lot that can be done at an individual, community, and policy level, and with the right strategies, a third of the most common cancers can be prevented.


Promoting healthy lifestyles is very important to the prevention of cancer. The conditions, such as a smoke free workplace, healthy options in the lunchroom or vending machines, discouraging the use of alcohol and promoting physical activity, help influence health and the quality of life. According to the myth busters, tobacco use is the most common risk factor and is estimated to kill 1 billion people in the 21st Century. Other known high risks are obesity and prolonged exposure to UV light.


The fourth myth is, “I don’t have the right to cancer care.” The truth is: all people have the right to access proven and effective cancer treatments and services on equal terms and without suffering hardship as a consequence.
This way of thinking seems to be the belief of people in low resource areas and is sometimes attributed to a lack of education and/ or thoughts that their cancer is not curable. Over 85% of the 275,000 women who die each year from cervical cancer are from third world countries. Often times, poor and vulnerable populations are not able to afford the cost of prescriptions and other cancer treatments.


While these myths may be geared a little more to third world countries and their awareness of cancer, these myths are important to be aware of and to remind each other that talking about cancer is therapeutic for those suffering and those caregivers who are supporting them.

As we stay aware of cancer and its impact on people, it’s interesting to take a look at some cancer statistics in the United States.

In 2010, the top 10 cancers affecting men of all races are in order from most popular: prostate, lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, urinary bladder, melanoma of the skin, non-hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis, oral cavity and pharynx, leukemias and pancreas.


The top 10 cancers affecting women of all races in order from most popular: breast, lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, uterine corpus, thyroid, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanomas of the skin, ovary, kidney and renal and pancreas.


Finally, with rankings by state in 2010, Kentucky had the highest rate of cancer occurrences, while Arizona had the least and Indiana fell 35th out of 50, with Michigan at the 5th highest ranking. Women, during the same time frame, also had the highest rate of cancer occurrence in Kentucky and the lowest was in New Mexico. Indiana fell at number 28 and Michigan at 17.